Utah base jumper dies when parachute deploys late

Thursday , March 06, 2014 - 2:41 PM

The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — A man died over the weekend in a base jumping accident near Moab.

Moab police say 22-year-old Daniel Moore’s parachute opened too late and he smashed to the ground Saturday afternoon. Emergency crews weren’t able to get to him for more than four hours because of treacherous, snowy conditions in the area.

Police say Moore was an experienced base jumper and was leaping off a cliff commonly used thrill-seekers. This time, however, he found himself in an unusual position and he was unable to get the parachute to release when he first tried. Police say he got it deployed on the second try, but it was too late.

Moore lived in Moab, a city of about 5,000 located near Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in eastern Utah.